Single or multiple component electronic data processing apparatus or other specialty equipment used separately or in support or cooperation with a manual transaction system or automatic transaction equipment requires, normally, a closely controlled environment in which to function efficiently over a sustained period of time. This environment has been provided usually, heretofore, by placing all of an organization's data processing apparatus except, for example, remotely disposed terminals and the like, in a single large room where overall conditions are maintained substantially uniform. To accomplish this is expensive, the location of the equipment is often inconvenient and an accommodation to necessity rather than efficient utilization; and a power failure or the like will necessitate, in the absence of an auxiliary power supply, a shut-down of an organization's entire electronic data processing system; and in modern terms where banks are concerned, for example, will cause a closing of the entire business enterprise, as well as other enterprises dependent upon it. This vulnerability exists as well with sensitive government installations and will ordinarily disconnect and disarm the protective systems and apparatus used to secure the electronic data processing system itself against injury.
Physical security of the electronic data processing apparatus or other transaction processing equipment against vandalism and misuse is also a material concern. Resort has been had to automated equipment mounted in unprotected stations on building exteriors, for example, in the belief that they were invulnerable to harm or unauthorized exploitation. This assessment has proven to be in error as these devices have been frequently pummeled and damaged with expensive equipment replacement costs.
In addition, insofar as devices of this sort are automatic paying or receiving machines coming under the authority of governmental regulations, such as those in the United States of America of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, they are required to meet the several regulatory construction requirements of Regulation P (12 CFR 216); and, once installed, have not been capable of ready removal or relocation.
Electronic data processing equipment has characteristically been disposed in cabinets about which snap-on metal panels are mounted that serve few functions other than aesthetically covering the data processing components of the system and, in some instances, protecting the contained equipment from incidental damage from light or casual impact.
The shelves and support members within the cabinet upon which the foregoing components rest is usually made of heavy gauge metal and adapted solely to support the components within the cabinet. Cables attached to the components, whether employed to deliver power or to transmit communications signals to and from the components, have characteristically been partially fastened in the cabinet interior without any particular order or organization.
Further, the cabinet skin or covering tends to lead to undesired confinement at high temperatures within limited areas about the equipment components, since these components of the cabinet characteristically generate a considerable amount of heat during normal operation and require air flow from a variety of directions for cooling purposes and since air flow is usually and inherently from the base of the cabinet up through the components as a result of which it is normally necessary to allow large amounts of open space above and beneath the components as well as furnishing small blowers to encourage the intake of temperature and humidity regulated air from the surrounding room or more frequently, from an air supply plenum under a raised floor system.
The use of a transaction processing unit such as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,523 or one such as described in copending application Ser. No. 102,552 filed Nov. 11, 1979 and incorporated by reference herein or application Ser. No. 912,974 filed June 5, 1978 and also incorporated by reference herein to house data processing equipment, including banking data processing equipment and related devices, obviates the need of providing temperature and humidity controlled air to an entire, large, specially built room or facility to supply and sustain a stable defined environment about the data processing equipment contained therein. Temperature and humidity-controlled air or other atmosphere may be provided to the data processing equipment using the air supply present in the facility or room in which said data processing equipment is housed or from an air conditioning unit dedicated to that purpose. Air circulation through the transaction processing unit or data processing equipment enclosure is provided by perforation of the opposite ends or side walls of the enclosure housing using normally a blower or fan assembly to encourage the flow of air therethrough.
Even where a fan or blower is used, however, the tendency is for development of a gradient temperature to occur within the housing; warm air at the top and cooler air at the bottom; and while the limited space involved permits for ready adjustment, difficulty in making the adjustment uniform, or uniform over a sustained period throughout the unit still exists, an aspect significant particularly where the data processing equipment is tiered vertically within the enclosure. Such a tiered arrangement permits, however, a significantly more efficient use of the enclosure.
Rotation of data processing equipment either within or immediately outside the foregoing data processing equipment enclosures to provide access to the various aspects thereof eliminates the need for access space about the entire periphery of the enclosure. The cables attached to the data processing or similar equipment within the enclosure, either for the purpose of supplying electrical power thereto or for the purpose of communication with and between the various components of a data processing system, may be rotated with the equipment, provided sufficient slack is permitted to allow rotation or movement without placing tension or stress upon the cables.
Rotation of the data processing equipment within the enclosure is described in the foregoing U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,523 and pending applications Ser. Nos. 952,782 and 102,552 and is also, as indicated, particularly advantageous in permitting access to the equipment for operation or servicing thereof through the same aperture, or at least through a limited aspect of one side of the housing, accomplishing an economy of movable parts, function and space while limiting the communication between the exterior and interior of the enclosure, consistent with its maximum and most advantageous utilization. Where rotation is unlimited and tiered data processing equipment or the like is contained in the enclosure the utilization of this space becomes involved, by way of illustration, when a plurality of cables are present, and these will often number in excess of about two hundred. The identity and function of these cables may become confused, and the cables entangled or twisted through careless or improper operation of the data processing equipment enclosure housing said equipment.
However, if support means for electronic data processing equipment could be provided that serves as a fluid distribution system, alone or in combination with a further duct system, within, or within and exterior, to said enclosure for transmission and direction of a fluid, such as air, the temperature and humidity or which is controlled, to the various aspects of the enclosed data processing equipment requiring a consistent and modulated environment, while ordering the distribution and controlling the slack length and tension of the cables of the enclosed data processing equipment, a significant advance in the state of the art would be attained. Further, in the event the foregoing support and fluid distribution means could be integrated in the foregoing enclosure to rotate in a carefully defined arc and upon the axis of said support and distribution means so that ready access could be had to any aspect, and particularly any lateral aspect, of the data processing equipment or the like mounted upon the foregoing support and distribution means through a single aperture or a plurality of superimposed apertures at a single point in, or portion of, the periphery of said enclosure, a further material step forward in the state of the art would be affected.
Any material contraction in size of the enclosure accomplished at either end and circumferentially permitting increased utilization of space with provision simultaneously for security against both fire and vandals, for uniform atmosphere conditions throughout the enclosure such as will permit incorporation thereof in conventional desks, clerical work stations and areas for containment of terminals, microcomputers and data storage and retrieval devices, and permit ready movement and convenient location, will manifestly provide a still further and significant advance in the relevant art.